Peta (ペタ, Peta) is a fictional character in the manga and anime series MÄR. He is a member of the Chess Pieces, the main antagonists, belonging to the high rank of Knight, of which he was the second strongest and strategic officer, and the first Chess Piece to be introduced.

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Peta is one of MÄR-Heaven's darkest and most mysterious figures. Usually calm and intelligent, Peta knows just the right amount of effort needed to put into anything, and is also sly and cunning. Peta is, literally, a very bloodthirsty figure, and has a habit of drinking the blood of others in a skull-emblazed wine glass.[1] Like Phantom and many other Chess Pieces, Peta shares the view that humans are worthless beings.

Peta is Phantom's most loyal follower and has been with him the longest, since the time Phantom was still human. He is subject to any of Phantom's beliefs, and they once promised to achieve immortality together. Phantom himself admits that he considers Peta his friend; he even cries for him when he dies at Nanashi's hands in the Final Battles. [2]

Very little is known about Peta's early background. At some point he would befriend Phantom, a Kaldean outlaw and eventually the strongest Knight, some point before Phantom received the Zombie Tattoo. [3] Shortly before that Peta witnessed the breakup of Phantom and his lover, the Vestrian Alma. At some point, apparently after Alviss, Peta would receive Phantom's Zombie Tattoo, wishing to walk the path of destruction together for all eternity. After the formation of the Chess Piece army, Peta quickly gained Knighthood and became the Knights' strategic officer. Peta, however, did not fight in the previous War Games, choosing instead to broadcast the battles throughout MÄR-Heaven.[4]

After Phantom's death in his fight with Danna, Peta was initiated as the Chess army's leader until Phantom's eventual resurrection, as he explained to the Cross Guard. At some point during his leadership, Peta would meet Eileen, a woman ripped to shreds from torture, and accepted her into the Chess Pieces, granting her forbidden Ghost ÄRM to make this task easier. [5] Under Peta's tutelage, Eileen, from then on known as Chimera, would one day rise to the rank of Knight. It is also known that Peta would commonly send in thieves to the Cave of Babbo, [6] locked inside of which was Phantom's former ÄRM, in an attempt to gain possession of Babbo and resurrect Phantom.

Peta is first introduced during Jack's fight with the Rogelu Brothers, two vegetarian werewolf thieves, informing the brothers on the newly founded search for Babbo. Before seeing to the other thieve groups in the area, Ginta Toramizu, who had freed Babbo, appears to help fight the Rogelu Brothers. Peta, although having no interest in fighting, uses his Magic Mirror Ring to take a picture of Babbo. [7] After witnessing the brothers' defeat, Peta sends the picture to the members of Luberia, telling them that the one who brings him Babbo will be rewarded with 100 million pewters. [8]

Shortly after Phantom's resurrection, Peta visits the Luberian Fortress, canceling the search for Babbo. [9] Angry, the thieves attempt to kill Peta, though Peta easily kills them before they get their chance. Nanashi, Luberia's leader, is quick to be informed, and decides to end Luberia's neutrality and defeat Peta. During the Chess Pieces' war campaign, Peta sends a message throughout all of MÄR-Heaven, explaining to them how they got too spoiled with peace, and how the Chess Pieces, with their goals based around war and destruction, will be the inevitable victor in the war. [10] It is also Peta who announced the upcoming War Games to all of MÄR-Heaven.

During the War Games, Peta uses his Dimension ÄRM to broadcast the War Game battles on both the Moon and Sun for those unable to watch the fights. During the second round, Peta and Phantom visit Diana the Chess Queen, and review the progress of the war. While doing so, Peta watches as Nanashi explains to Loco that the only Chess Piece he wants to kill is Peta. During the night of the same day, Phantom toys with Ginta by, disguised as Tom, having Peta "kill" him, much to Ginta's anger.

Peta makes his reappearance during the War Games' final round, going up against Nanashi. Nanashi finds much difficulty in this battle, being unable to harm Peta with physical attacks and having any lightning-based attacks reflected back at him. During the battle, Peta explains to Nanashi that he devotedly serves Phantom and follows any of his wishes, though Nanashi shows no interest in this, caring more about avenging Luberia. It is only through the Holy ÄRM Alviss gave him earlier that Nanashi survives Peta's deadly attacks, and takes an opening to destroy Peta's Blood Body, forcing Peta to use his Guardian. Nanashi responds with his own Guardian, using it to destroy Peta's Guardian and restrain Peta. Nanashi enacts his revenge against Peta, incapacitating him using his lightning attack and with the Griffin Lance, finishes him off (however in the manga Nanashi just uses his Guardian to crush Peta to death). As Peta dies, he reflects on Phantom and their promise to be immortal together, regretting he can't see the day the world will be theirs with him. Peta's death reaches Phantom when his wraith, smiling, appears before the no.1 Knight. Just before the 6th round of the Final Battles follows, Phantom arrives at Peta's side, obliterates his corpse and thanks Peta for everything he's done for his sake, saying from then on he will be lonely without him[11]. As he bids Peta farewell, Ginta and Babbo are the only ones to notice Phantom has shed tears in the process.

Peta's is the second strongest Chess Piece Knight and their strategic officer, making him a dangerous enemy. As the anime goes on to explain, Peta's ÄRMs themselves aren't very strong, though he uses his intelligence to find many other uses of them. His ÄRMs are:

Magic Mirror Ring: A Dimension ÄRM, used to record something then allow him to broadcast it over any/multiple reflective surfaces (even the moon and Sun) or through other communication type dimension ÄRMs. This is how people watch the War Games when the fighting takes place somewhere else. Strangely, even after Peta's demise the battles are broadcasted throughout MÄR-Heaven.

Dark Reflector: Dimension ÄRM. In the manga, a round mirror which bounces attacks back away from the user, while the anime pictures it as a portal which absorbs the attack and then blasts it back in the caster's direction.

Blood Body: Nature ÄRM which recreates the body of the user into blood, thus immunizes it against all physical attacks.

Garnet Claw: Ghost ÄRM, a set of razor-sharp blood-colored claws that are made from the users fingernails.

Blood Syringe: Unique ÄRM, spiked glass orbs are created and launched at the victim(s). If they hit they will drain blood from the target until they burst, at which point the blood flows at the master of the ÄRM. The user can then Coagulate the blood into different weapons, including bladed stones to throw at the living enemies.

Abyss Cannon: Ghost ÄRM, tortured souls are called from hell and fired at the enemy as a mouthed cannonball.

Chain Soldier (anime): A Guardian ÄRM that summons several armored soldiers linked together with chains used to ensnare Peta's enemies. However, the soldiers are useless without their chains.

Body Eye: Peta's opera necklace Guardian ÄRM which calls forth upon earth a wingless Diablo with runic bonds sealing its lower half. However the demon doesn't possess any satanic extraordinary; its power manifests in a myriad of bats while Body Eye itself wrecks massive destruction with its hands.